The chair of the Union County School Board said the district was in a financial crisis after hearing that the state cut over $1.4 million in funding due to declining enrollment.
“We’re in crisis,” said Chris Hodgson during a February 10 school board meeting. “I don’t know any other way to say it. We are in a financial crisis, and I don’t believe it’s anything we’ve done internally. I think it’s just based on some things that came together, a perfect storm of events.”
During an earlier workshop, district Finance Director Deborah Parrish told board members that after the Florida Department of Education’s third calculation, which recalculates state funding based on an 11-day attendance period in October, the state cut the district’s funding by $1,422,565.
“This represents a 7% reduction to our budget in a year for which there are no reserve funds available to avoid the loss,” she said. “We are currently in contact with the Department of Education, and we are working with them to determine what options and what steps may be available to us.”
Parrish said she had already compiled a list of potential budget cuts to make up for the funding shortfall.
“Ultimately, our focus remains on maintaining the stability of the district while protecting classrooms and students as much as possible. The decisions ahead will not be easy, but they will require thoughtful discussion, transparency, and collaboration between the board and staff.”
Superintendent Mike Ripplinger said he intended to hold district-wide meetings with staff to inform them of the district’s financial situation and the potential impact on the organization’s operations.
